Nothing is faster than light - really?

originally posted by: Ghostsinthefog
The expansion if the universe is faster than light is it not?

This is a feature of general relativity.

The expansion of spacetime beyond the 'boundary' of the observable universe is expanding faster than light, and since those galaxies are so far out, the light from those stars will never reach us.

Space is the substrate. Due to cosmic inflation and dark energy which accelerates the expansion, we will forever be bound to our local group of galaxies. If we tried to leave the local group we would be trapped in ever-expanding intergalactic space, even if we travelled at the speed of light or faster.

This principle is why the mathematics of Alcubierre Drives works because it uses the same relativistic physics as the expansion of the universe.

I believe that certain galactic civilizations --- other than our own --- possess and safely operate superluminal capable starships in the void of space. The main requirements would be a magnetic shield or shields just offboard, and surrounding the starship, that would mimic the craft in a no rest mass state; that would protect the starship from the speed of light barrier and beyond.

The fuel requirements: An unlimited supply of fuel, that would thrust the starship with constant acceleration to the speed of light barrier and beyond into the superluminal realm. The only fuel probably capable of that...would be starlight or man made photons, that are collected onto the acretion disc of a micro-mini black hole propulsion unit (housed onboard the starship itself), ejected from the MMBH's polar jets and guided towards the thruster outlet tubes of the craft.

Here is my personal view on the FTL subject.

The universe has a certain structure. This structure arises from a set of rules, physicists also call them symmetries or laws. Without those rules the universe would not be the way it is.

We have 3 spatial dimensions and a time dimension. This means that we have locality. Objects have a size, position, velocity. It also means there has to be a limit to how fast something can move in space, else you would not be able to differentiate between here and there and between now and then. The actual value of this limit doesn't really matter, just that it has to exist to make the universe the way it is.

And for our universe this limit is the speed of light. The speed of the lightest objects there are (and it doesn't get lighter than having no mass at all), photons.

So going FTL does not make much sense from within the universe.

a reply to: moebius

Photons have 'no rest mass,' but they do have momentum --- For example: A flashlight is a rocket ship...with the photons from the flashlight having thrust, thusly propelling the flashlight in the opposite direction.


And since I don't believe in the feasibility of space travel thru worm holes, interdimensionial travel or warp drive...the possibility of superluminal capable starships is very real, because of my own foo fighter aerial sighting back in 1976 and other eyewitness UFO sightings as well.

"If I'm floating in space and I turn on a flashlight, will I acceleratate?

physics.stackexchange.com...

originally posted by: Erno86
a reply to: moebius

Photons have 'no rest mass,' but they do have momentum --- For example: A flashlight is a rocket ship...with the photons from the flashlight having thrust, thusly propelling the flashlight in the opposite direction.

I am well aware of the momentum and energy of photons. Not sure what your point is.

And since I don't believe in the feasibility of space travel thru worm holes, interdimensionial travel or warp drive...the possibility of superluminal capable starships is very real, because of my own foo fighter aerial sighting back in 1976 and other eyewitness UFO sightings as well.

A "possibility" does not become real just because you believe it is.

From what I understand about the "universe" and light is that everything is already created, past present and future including light and everything else included. Like a solid block, we are just "experiencing" it, and that experience is what we call time. So light and everything you "see" is already at every single point in all dimensions in all time. So when people say "faster then light", that does not make sense, how can you be faster if it already exists everywhere in all time all the time?

a reply to: R3KR

Then your understanding of the universe is incorrect. In the eyes of about 300-400 years of scientific discovery

What about tachyon's?

a reply to: projectvxn

The expansion of spacetime beyond the 'boundary' of the observable universe is expanding faster than light, and since those galaxies are so far out, the light from those stars will never reach us.

Nice theory.

Why present it as fact?

originally posted by: openminded2011
If you have two spaceships traveling in opposite directions at the speed of light, from each ships perspective, the other would appear to be traveling at twice the speed of light.

Aside from them not being able to travel at light speed, even if they could, they would both still only seem to be traveling at the speed of light, not twice.

originally posted by: R3KR
So light and everything you "see" is already at every single point in all dimensions in all time.

I always kind of liked that theory, that the universe and everything in it is simply one particle expressing itself in an infinity of states over time. I believe it comes from Feyman's calculations of particle/energy exchange, where time is not a factor.

originally posted by: howtonhawky
a reply to: projectvxn

The expansion of spacetime beyond the 'boundary' of the observable universe is expanding faster than light, and since those galaxies are so far out, the light from those stars will never reach us.

Nice theory.

Why present it as fact?

Because it is a fact.

Also you misused the word theory. Try again.

a reply to: howtonhawky

No tachyon has ever been observed.

There are no faster than light particles.

projectvxn

So in one post you will cite info that is not observed and claim as fact and in the next post you are gonna negate something because of something not being observed.

Me thinks you are confused much.

I am starting to realize just how convenient facts can be.

a reply to: howtonhawky

I guess the term observable universe means nothing?

What's really convenient is that you have this thing in front of you that you can use to get this information. We could have a really interesting conversation if you'd bother to stop embracing your own ignorance.

a reply to: projectvxn

Yet i am not the one posting contradictions here...

Point being is that what is outside the observable universe is just as much speculated as tachyons are.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

sometimes anything is believable

en.wikipedia.org...

originally posted by: johnb
So pretty much everybody agrees nothing can travel at the speed of light let alone exceed it.

However does sight not?

I open my eyes and can see stars from billions of light years away instantly. Now i understand that that light has been travelling that long and i am seeing where it was, that long ago but can you appreciate what I am trying to explain/ ask?

When you open your eyes you instantly see everything from the close to almost infinitely far away with no lag from distant objects.

This might just be sophistry but it's something i have occasionally pondered for years.

Maybe there is and it went by so fast you didn't see it.
After all ... "The absence of evidence is not always the evidence of absence".

originally posted by: howtonhawky
a reply to: projectvxn

Yet i am not the one posting contradictions here...

Point being is that what is outside the observable universe is just as much speculated as tachyons are.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

sometimes anything is believable

en.wikipedia.org...

Oh no I got caught in an April fool's joke so that means established physics isnt real!

I'm done talking to you.

EDIT:

From your wikipedia article that you didn't read:

In 2011, the OPERA experiment mistakenly observed neutrinos appearing to travel faster than light.